


Betrayal

by SmittenVixen13



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Death, F/M, Gen, Injury, Sad, Salt, but not adrien salt, my boy is good in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2020-05-07 13:56:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19210813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmittenVixen13/pseuds/SmittenVixen13
Summary: Betrayed by her own friends, by people she STOOD up for and SACRIFICED for, Marinette is giving moments to reflect on all that happened.





	1. End of a Morning Star

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lenore_Raven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lenore_Raven/gifts).



“ **NO**!” She thundered, ragged breaths aching her chest, transformation coming undone as Carapace, _Nino_ , gave them to the enemy.  


Her screams were ignored, held down from interfering, blinking back tears as she tries harder to get Alix and Kim to let her go. “Stop it! Don’t do this!!”  


But it was useless, her only ally having long since been removed from the room. Adrien had been taken away, kicking and roaring like the cat he was, for his own ‘ _protection’_ ; in the battle between Ladybug and Hawkmoth, Chat Noir had been defeated by their best friends. He had tried to defend her, even once forcibly de-transformed, even after the revelation of his _father_ being the terrorist they’ve dealt with for nearing two years, even when his mother was revealed! But in the end, he was no use against their _helpful_ classmates, his _loving_ father and assistant, and the liar who helped start this all.  


“STOP THIS NOW!” She wailed, struggling against them, her fight diminishing but she couldn’t **stop** , not when it was so close to happening!  


They had to stop! Now, before any damage or wish could be done!  


_**“The universe must always hold balance. For ever victory, a failure; for every death, a life. A wish from the miraculous will cause the universe to balance itself. ‘An eye for an eye’, as it were.”**_ Fu’s words whispered through her mind, panic snaring up inside her. She had _failed_ , and someone was about to die.  


“Dupain-Cheng, quit it! Stop being so selfish, this is for Adrikins!” Chloe snips with a flip of her hair. “You got this Monsieur Agreste! Bring back Aunt Emilie!”  


Alya nods, grinning as if she weren’t betraying her, as if she hadn’t felt the sharp _**thwak**_ of the flute on the back of her head earlier, “Yeah Mari! Everything’s going to be fine, Sunshine deserves this!”  


Others agreed, cheering on Monsieur Agreste as he de-transformed, handing the Butterfly miraculous to Chloe. “Thank you all, this will help Adrien _**so much**_.”  


Marinette cries, watching the villain, her once **idol** , take the miraculous and wear them. Flashes of obsidian and violet lightning struck all around the mansion, the makings of a tempest brewing up above as they felt the combined powers lifting him up off the ground.  


She could barely register the wish over the screaming wind, only giddy faces filling her sight, with one very vindictive smirk from **Lila**. The snake might’ve led the flock, but they were all wolves beneath their silken wool.  


_**They betrayed Paris. They betrayed** _ _us_ _**.  
** _

As the pillar of light shot through the sky, she felt a bolt strike her chest.  


They had let her go, hugging and _cheering_ , since they knew she couldn’t do a damn thing. The wish had been made. _But at what cost?  
_

There was no charred mark on her clothes or chest, no blood from the bolt.  


But her world felt _off_ , unbalanced, sick, with the instinctual need to hide rising inside of her. Death was there, so close, drawing nearer, and **he** had chosen **her**. That damn psychopath.  


Cold griped at her soul, a pained snarl slipping past her bloodied lips. Vindictive asshole, he had planned this, with her as the lamb!  


“She’s awake! Come on! Let’s go meet her!” Rose squealed from the entrance, eyes oozing that sickly sugared ‘love’ for the situation. **Rat**.  


Looking at them all, so damn _giddy_ as she felt herself dying. **Betrayers**. **Turncoats**. **Double** **Crossers**. **Backstabbers**. _**Traitors**_. All of them.  


“Get up girl! Now see, it wasn’t _that_ bad.” Alya chuckles, rolling her eyes. “Honestly, you’re so dramatic, couldn’t be selfless for sunshine boy. But hey! Don’t worry, now everything can be awesome! Adrien has his mom back.”  


She wanted to curse her out, to feel her fist connect with that smirking cheek, but she could only lean against the broken pillar, glaring the other down.  


**He** burst inside, rushing passed any of their ‘friends’, all so he could get to her. Not to his mother, but to _**her**_. He knew. He knew that the wish must be balanced, must have figured out his father was just that cruel. “My Lady! _**Princess**_. Don’t you dare go! Ju-Just hang in there!” He was trembling, a broken sob escaping him as she feebly raised a hand to press to his cheek, pressing his face into the familiar touch.  


Kwami, she wanted to tell him she loved him. Tell him that they had been circling one another this whole time! How she wanted a family with him, with three beautiful babies, and their own little hamster.  


“Don’t leave me.” He had gone through the whole ordeal of losing his mother, had gone through his grief, **alone** , and had recovered. He had _accepted_ her passing. But his father had been obsessed, _selfish_ , so he got to lose his true love now.  


“Adrien, bro, why are you being so weird? Mari’s fine, we didn’t hu-.”  


“ _ **Stay back!**_ ” He hissed, curling himself around her, protecting her like the knight he was. His glare destroyed their mood, a snarl slipping from him, “You’ve killed her. You’ve all **killed her**!” Her murmured _‘Chaton’_ only made him shush her, to hold her dying body close. As if he could warm her from the chill of death.  


“Every wish you make with the Creation and Destruction miraculous comes with a price.” A fresh, broken sob slipping from him before he reined back the emotion. “To make my mother alive, my father killed _her_.”  


Marinette felt her vision blurring, her hand slipping from his cheek to fall to the side. She could hear them though. Shouts, begs for forgiveness, cries of denial, sneers of exaggeration, promises to make it up to them.  


_**As if she could be here long enough.  
** _

The cool embrace of death was lingering, as if waiting for her.  


“L-Love you, Chaton. So much.” Her strength was diminishing, but she needed to tell him that. “Protect Paris. _**Live**_.” He should have a life beyond her, he deserved a good, loving family.  


His embrace couldn’t dispel the ice in her veins, but it comforted her in her last moments.  


_Closer_. Mustering her rage, she looked towards she heard Alya’s begs, hoping the rest of the close heard her too. “I don’t forgive you.” She snarled, feeling herself let go.


	2. Hold on to the love, not the loss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the Betrayal

_**Good-morning Paris. Today, we commemorate the day Paris lost its Spotted Red Lady. Ladybug, local Parisian: Marinette Dupain-Cheng, saved our great city from the threat of Hawkmoth, along with her partner, Chat Noir or better known as Adrien Chevalier.”**_ At least they were using his new name now. _ **“We remember her valiant efforts, victories, and contributions to our wonderful city on this day of morning. Join us as we visit those who have met the great superhero, both in and out of the mask, and mourn the loss of an amazing girl. Marinette, we miss you every day, we will never forget the great things you’ve done for us.**_  
 

Adrien gave a rough grunt as he pounds the swaying punching bag, heart pounding against his rib cage, eyes slipping close as he listened to the news channel. “Claudine, turn off the tv.”  
 

 **ding ding**! “Shutting off the tv.”  
 

The dull thuds of his punches filled the morning air, the former model listing off the agenda for the day: shower, eat breakfast, go grocery shopping, call mother, speak to M. Raymont, visit M. Dupain and Mme. Cheng, visit Fu, call the group to reassure them, visit Marinette with them.  
 

Since the defeat of Hawkmoth, that shit-eating bastard had no right to a title such as father, and their “helpful” classmates, Adrien’s life had lost its…it’s edge. It no longer held the appeal of possibilities of a hopeful future, not without her; his therapist had reassured him that this was perfectly normal reaction, mourning a loss was a process unique to the individual and the situation, and Adrien’s was even more unique than most! He was a damn superhero, on par to military personal who were sent out into the battlefield, fully expecting to the possibility of death, and fighting anyway.  
 

And he wasn’t even seventeen yet.  
 

Releasing his hair from the hair tie, Adrien padded over to his coffee maker to begin that process while he showered, giving a soft smile at the sight of the kwamis all curled up in the giant pet bed he got them, little Nooroo and Duusuu at the center of it all. Like always.  
 

~  
 

Emilie Chevalier, nee. Agreste, had come into the world with a cry of life. She had left it with a whisper of apology, hand going limp in her husband’s hold.  
 

That was supposed to be it, they had been warned not to use the miraculous by the Himalayan woman, had ignored the warnings, and she accepted the consequences! She only hoped her little family would be able to move on and build anew.  
 

Then she had came back into the world with a gasp of breath, to the sounds of wails and cries, a dead body of a little girl, and the realization that her husband was an utter bastard of a human being.  
 

Her eyes gaze shifted towards the Parisian skyline, the morning rays brimming over the horizon as Paris woke up. Lifting the cup of tea to her lips, she listened to the news coverage of the girl whose life was stolen. Who was sentenced to death for the wishes of a sickening human being.  
 

Marinette Dupain-Cheng, everyday Ladybug and the actual Ladybug…Adrien had told her so much about the girl; her eyes were as clear as a summer sky, a heart filled with so much love and warmth, how her hugs had felt like home, how her skilled designs demonstrated how unique her style was, how sharp her mind was at solving and creating solutions (didn’t mean she didn’t fuddle, she was, after all, human), that her cheeks bloomed the prettiest red when she blushed, how she might’ve been crushing on him but she helped him out on a date anyway.  
 

How she was selfless.  
 

The girl was her son’s world, Emilie remembered how those big eyes of his always filled with tears and _fondness_ for the teen, and now that world was gone. All due to Gabriel’s inability to just…just move _on_.  
 

For a long time, Adrien couldn’t even look at her. It was as if the very sight of her _pained_ him. It likely did. For three months she didn’t know where he was, didn’t know how to contact her son, only saw the dark silhouette of a feline far off in the distance, keeping watch. After the third month, she finally received a call from him, his voice heavy with tears. She had joined him at the lonely graveyard, his eyes focused on a newer gravestone, tears streaming down his face. Emilie held her precious boy close, comforting him from the new loss of an old friend of his.  
 

They had left that giant mansion, handing it over to the city to deal with as they saw fit. They demolished it. Adrien had politely refused living with her, the grip he had on her hands that day betrayed his heavy heart, but that he needed to live alone. But he would not ignore her any longer, that had been a cruel thing for him to do to her.  
 

 **♪ Come stop your crying**  
It will be alright  
Just take my hand  
And hold it tight  
I will protect you  
From all around you  
I will be here  
Don’t you cry ♪  
 

Emilie smiles softly as she stood from her seat, making her way over to her cellphone. “Good morning, mon lapin.”  
 

“Good morning, mama.” Her eyes softened, cherishing the title instead of the old ‘mother’ title. “Did you rest well? I hope the tea I bought you was good, I know my uh, my master used to like it?”  
 

“Delicious as you’ve told me,” She found herself perched on her settee, sipping at the warm brew, “we should share a cup at our next get togethers. I sure this will go lovely with some cake.”  
 

He shifted on the other side of the line, the soft rustle of clothing heard over the line, “Heh, yeah, we should. I’m sure it would go well with spice cake; I think I have a recipe M. Dupain gave me. We can-we can make some next time I come over?”  
 

“I would love that, Adrien. Where are you off to?”  
 

“To visit some old friends. Are we still on for Saturday?”  
 

“Of course, I’ll see you then. Have a lovely day, mon lapin, you deserve it. I love you.” Especially on a day of cruel memories.  
 

“Merci, mama, I will. I love you too.”  
 

_**click  
 ** _

~  
 

“Sorry for being so late, Master, my visit with M. Dupain and Mme. Cheng went a little long.” Adrien sat down in front of the grave, unfurling the gifts he brought his teacher. “I brought you some jasmine tea, I remember you used to really like drinking it during our lessons.”  
 

A weary chuckle slipped out of him, recalling the fond memories of their interactions, as he sipped at his own cup of tea, the other steaming cup set on the grave, “You know, I wonder what would’ve happened if we had met you from the beginning. I wonder if you’d have been like Batman, pushing us away at first before drawing us in like a family…  
 

“I really miss you Master, it's getting so hard without **someone** here who-who _knows_ as much about miraculous as I do. Mother learned some before she died, but she didn’t _experience_ it like we did! And anyone who did are…” His snarl permeated the still morning, hands shaking from unbridled rage. It took some deep breaths and the gentle softness of a blue scarf to shush his rage. “They’re no longer here, nor do I want them to be. Plagg said he had a special plan for them when the time comes.”  
 

Deeply inhaling, Adrien bit into the macaron he brought, the sugar bland on his tongue. Dessert, especially macarons, rarely had the spark of sweet as they used to. “M. Raymont informed me that, as of today, all of our cases have been won and finalized. Heh,” The chuckle humorless on his tongue, “I can’t believe all that evidence was just hidden under the security of a flimsy password as my mother’s name…  
 

“All of my old classmates have been sentenced to ten years each, with Hawkmoth and Mayura receiving life in prison. The mayor had to quit, Audrey is still losing stock in her credibility…I almost feel bad for them, they were just as shocked as all of the rest of Paris.” Except Chloe was their daughter, his former childhood friend was held in a jail far from Paris, for her own safety.  
 

Chirps filtered into the silence, Adrien finishing his tea. His long legs uncrossed themselves, eyes gazing down to his silver ring.  
 

“The therapist is really helping out with some things, they’re a decent person. I think they…they _know_ how it feels to deal with this kind of thing.” His fingers brushed back his locks, gazing switching back towards the gravestone. “I don’t know, it’s just a feeling. Their eyes have that same spark like ours did...like Marinette’s.”  
 

A smile played on his lips, the sting of tears playing at the edge of his eyes but-thankfully-not falling. “I remember, when we first got our miraculous, I promised myself I would always love who’s behind the mask, to woo and marry that amazing girl who kicked _ass_ and saved Paris so many times. She would’ve been an amazing mother, I only worried about me…but I had my mother’s memory to guide me if I ever hesitated.” But that future couldn’t happen anymore, not with her now up in the heavens.  
 

 _ **“Live.”**_  
 

He would live, he would live for her. As much as he yearned to be with her again, and to hold her close and see those freckled cheeks burn pink, she wouldn’t want him to just give up. She always wanted his happiness the most. So he would honor her last wish.  
 

~  
 

Luka saw him first, the older teen giving him a slight smile before he indicated to Kagami that he was approaching. Kagami’s sharp gaze might’ve frozen others, but Adrien saw the warmth beneath. While all around them people celebrated and mourned their Spotted heroine, the three knew the girl behind the mask much more dearly. Their gifts for their friend laden in their arms, blooming roses of differing colors for Marinette.  
 

They silently made their way towards the secured graveyard, moving in a cohesive unit; the guard didn’t ask for credentials when they arrived, only lead them around towards the side entrance, away from the photographers desperate for a picture, so they could see her.  
 

Kagami went first, gifting the grave a bouquet of dyed blue roses and dew covered black roses, tied together with a silver ribbon. Adrien and Luka remained together, allowing Kagami time to speak with Marinette alone, the pair catching up on how everything had been coming along. Half an hour later it was Luka’s turn, with Adrien wrapping his arms around Kagami in comfort.  
 

Luka’s bouquet was a mess of whites, lavenders, and blacks, all tied together a soft rose gold ribbon. As with Kagami, the pair allowed Luka to speak with Marinette alone; Adrien had known about Luka’s feelings for Marinette for a long time, had known he used that excuse to keep going after Ladybug instead of entertaining any romantic notions towards Marinette. Luka had fallen for that heart of gold as anyone did once they got to know Marinette. They had bonded closer over the course of the year, with Luka becoming his close confidant.  
 

When his turn came, he found his eyes reading over her gravestone, biting his lip as he gazed at the small framed photo. Seems her parents had arrived first, their family photo radiating the love they held for one another. “Hey Princess, been a while, huh? Yeah, I know, quit calling you princess…” He chuckles, resting the red, pink, and black roses beside the others, a ‘Chat Noir’ ribbon keeping it together. “I can’t help it, you’re my Lady and my Princess, you were meant to rule…”  
 

The wind whispered through the trees, his eyes burning with tears. “I can’t believe it’s only been a year, I..I’m so sorry, for not protecting you from him, from _them_. I made sure they won’t hurt anyone else for as long as I live but, but that won’t make you come back, will it? No,” his sigh filtered through the air, gazing sadly towards his shoes, “No it won’t.  
 

“How is it up there? There’s only so many books I can read on the place, but Tikki told me that it was nice up there and that you’d be meeting all the other great miraculous wielders.” A humorless chuckle escaped him. “I’m almost jealous, I would love to meet other wielders of the black cat.  
 

“Tikki’s doing good, they all are. They steal my food all the time, but at least they eat the grosser food **outside**. No more stinky fish and camembert to avoid now.” The laugh felt real, lighter, even as tears slipped down his cheeks. “Fu used to tell me that they don’t need specific food, but they’re picky from choice alone.”  
 

His fingers grazed over the marble, smiling wistfully to her. “I promise, I’ll keep trying for you. I don’t promise I won’t always be a complete mess, your chaton,” the broken sob escaped him, before a smile returned back to his face, pained as it was, “Your chaton needs to be that silly alley cat you love. And who knows, maybe I’ll be able to name a little girl after you.”  
 

He kneeled down, pressing his face to her cold grave, the breeze picking up before gentling back down. “I love you, Marinette. Your silly knight needs to go for now. Talk to you later, my lady.” Pressing a soft kiss to her stone, he pressed his fist against the ground.  
 

“Pound it.”  
 

~  
 

(Ten Years Later)  
 

Life moved on from that tragic day, as with any disaster within the world. Wildfires were followed by stubborn seeds sprouting into the world, people reach out to help those they’ve never known, and miraculous things always happened every day.  
 

Adrien smiles as he looked over the report one of his students turned in, nodding to himself over the correct answers displayed on the sheet of paper, humming along to an old classic of Jagged Stone’s, as the Parisian evening gave way to the night.  
 

“You know, I _did_ call you three times for dinner.” A cool voice chuckled, gliding inside of the office. “Marinette and Felix are waiting for us.”  
 

“Sorry, sorry. I got caught up.” Adrien chuckled, setting aside his glasses. “What’d you make?”  
 

Arms wrapped around him, ebony hair tickling at his cheek as a handsome face peered down to him. “You’ll have to come down to find out.”  
 

Unable to resist, Adrien raised up to press a kiss to those soft lips, smiling to himself at Luka’s chuckle. Yeah, life had a way of moving forward, and placing people in your life that will significantly change it. “I guess I do. After you, Monsieur Couffaine-Chevalier.”  
 

“With pleasure, Monsieur Couffaine-Chevalier.” The pair chuckled as they made their way downstairs, where their children were waiting for them.  
 

It had been after University when they decided to give dating a chance, and now they were the proud parents of two adorable little three-year-olds. Marinette Emilie Couffaine-Chevalier and Felix Remus Couffaine-Chevalier. Kagami had volunteered when they began to discuss the possibility of family, going over adoption options, surrogacy, fostering, and the like, the Olympian fencer deciding that she would help her truest friends out, with the promise she would be the childrens’ god-mother.  
 

Marinette was a little combination of Kagami and Luka: pale skin, midnight blue hair tied up into a ponytail, warm brown eyes, and the sweetest dimples whenever she smiled.  
 

Felix was a little combination of Kagami and Adrien: pale skin, golden brown hair, cool hazel green eyes, and seemingly always in a state of stoic criticism (Luka joked he got it from his mother, Luka got hit over the head for that comment).  
 

Of course he will always miss his Lady, but he had the life he promised her he would get. Did he still cry at night? Yeah, he still did. Were there nights where he found himself on top of the Eiffel tower, gazing out to the city? Every second Saturday of the month. Did it hurt seeing Kagami wearing his Marinette’s miraculous? It did, but it was getting better. But he was also helping Kagami, Scarlet Blades, on how to learn to fight for Paris. He helped Luka adjust to his title as Viperion mores easily, to practice his attacks.  
 

And because he was alone…he needed to teach them Guardian duties, so they could keep the information alive and find new chosens when the time finally came. Wayzz guided him as best as the little turtle could manage, Plagg able to translate some of the words still untranslated.  
 

They might’ve lost their light, but she continued to brighten their hearts through her memories, through her legacy. She would always be in their heart.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone~! Enjoy the sweet angst!
> 
> Tumblr link: https://autumnlover13moni8.tumblr.com/
> 
> Original post: https://autumnlover13moni8.tumblr.com/post/185527465206/betrayal-au-gabriel-wins-where-the-classalya
> 
> THE GIANT AMALGAMATION OF AWESOMENESS IT BECAME: https://autumnlover13moni8.tumblr.com/post/185581118656/betrayal-au-gabriel-wins-where-the-classalya


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